Humanitarian organizations are increasingly faced with the need to reduce their environmental footprint. The present “triple planetary crisis”, namely climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, is eroding the foundations of sustainable development and wellbeing, with impacts more visible in the global south.
In this guide, “environment” is use comprehensively to address all these interlinked dimensions of the triple planetary crisis. The humanitarian sector has a collective responsibility to take environmental and climate action, address the environmental dimensions of emergencies, reduce the environmental impacts of humanitarian operations, and respond to the growing humanitarian needs related to climate change. This is also based on the formal recognition of the human right to life and a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Humanitarian organizations must find ways of operating that are more environmentally responsible, and mainstream environmental considerations both into their programmes and projects and into their support operations and day-to-day activities.
The guidance focuses on building commitment and leadership for environmental responsibility (e.g. through senior management's role, environmental policies, etc) and enhancing environmental responsibility (e.g. through environmental management systems, environmental assessments, etc.).